ASCE GSP 274

Abstract

Scope: Preface These proceedings are dedicated to David E. Daniel in recognition of his contributions to the field of geoenvironmental engineering. The proceedings are also an expression of gratitude for the friendship, mentoring, and collegiality he has shared with the authors in these proceedings over the last 35 yr. His focus on excellence, dedication to service, and unwavering emphasis on integrity have had a profound influence on each of the authors in this proceedings. Daniel is a founding father of the professional discipline now known as geoenvironmental engineering, which originated in the late 1970s in response to high demand for knowledge regarding environmental processes that affect the fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface. In 2000, Daniel was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, the most prestigious honor recognizing engineering achievement in the United States, for his leadership in developing the field of geoenvironmental engineering and his major contributions to engineering practice regarding waste containment systems. Most of Daniel’s professional work in geoenvironmental engineering has focused on engineered barriers for waste containment systems. His seminal contributions underpin our knowledge of the engineering behavior of clay barrier materials and have directly influenced how clay barriers are designed and deployed in practice. Examples of his contributions include the importance of scale effects when interpreting data regarding the performance of engineered soil barriers, development of laboratory and field methods for measuring the hydraulic conductivity of engineered barrier materials, development of modern performance-based compaction criteria for compacted clay barriers, and the role of chemical transport in engineered barrier design, including the potential effects of chemical incompatibility on barrier performance. Daniel’s seminal contributions on engineering behavior of geosynthetic clay liners led to their widespread adoption in engineering practice. The papers in this proceedings reflect the impact of Daniel\'s contributions to geoenvironmental engineering. The papers describe case histories of engineered barriers for containment systems as well as fundamental studies on laboratory methods to measure hydraulic conductivity, chemical transport through vertical barriers with enhanced attenuation capacity, and the fundamental behavior of active clays used for engineered barriers. Daniel is a staunch advocate of peer review and excellence in engineering research and practice. Consistent with this philosophy, each of the papers in these proceedings was deemed acceptable for publication only after an affirmative review by two anonymous reviewers, in accordance with the policy of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The editors consider the papers in these proceedings to be of the highest quality, and believe they will advance the science and practice of geoenvironmental engineering.